Victoria Dialysis Patients Set for Transition to ENT Hospital

In an effort to better accommodate patients suffering from kidney failure, a more spacious facility is being planned for the renal unit at Victoria Hospital. The Ministry of Health has announced the transfer of the dialysis unit from Victoria Hospital to the ENT Hospital in Vacoas.

Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal revealed this initiative during the inauguration of a new dialysis center in Quartier-Militaire.

According to Minister Jagutpal, the Vacoas hospital is not only more modern but also has the necessary space to install additional equipment.

“This will also facilitate better access for patients. The process is already underway, and facilities are being set up. I believe that by the end of the year or early next year, patients will be able to access it,” he stated.

Additionally, a smaller unit will be created at Victoria Hospital to handle emergencies.

The minister lamented that the number of individuals suffering from kidney failure could increase in the coming years.

“We currently have at least 1,500 patients, and with the rising number of people suffering from diabetes or hypertension, these figures are likely to grow.”

He emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and advised individuals with diabetic family members to have regular health check-ups, as the condition can be hereditary.

During his address, Minister Jagutpal also discussed the newly opened center in Quartier-Militaire.

“We have established this facility within the Mediclinic, and we are installing five machines.

This will allow around ten patients to undergo dialysis without having to travel to the center in Flacq.

We plan to add ten more machines in the future, enabling more patients to attend their three weekly sessions,” he explained.

He also touched upon the upcoming renal transplant surgeries that will take place in the new unit currently under construction at Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Rose-Belle.

Last week, Indian Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, inquired about the progress of the unit funded by the Indian government.

Nandini Singla, the High Commissioner of India to Mauritius, informed him that construction should be completed by the end of the year.

This new unit will not only facilitate kidney transplants but will also enable the harvesting of organs from deceased donors, as noted by Minister Jagutpal.

“This should be operational within the next five years,” he added, mentioning that Mauritius currently relies on foreign expertise for such operations until local doctors are adequately trained.

Controversy at the Dialysis Center Opening

In a related incident, Bose Soonarane, secretary of the Renal Disease Patient’s Association, expressed his disappointment after being asked to leave the inauguration of the new dialysis center in Quartier-Militaire.

He had been invited by the Riche-Mare unit to attend the ceremony but was promptly asked to depart.

“I wonder if the minister is aware that I was asked to leave. I am not involved in politics; I solely advocate for patient interests.

Why would my presence be so disruptive that I had to be asked to leave?” he questioned.

Soonarane hoped to discuss his idea of organizing a meeting for dialysis patients, which would provide them with nutritional advice and recommendations from a nephrologist.

The Ministry of Health later stated that there was no incident involving the association’s secretary.

Collaboration with HLL Lifecare for Medication Supply

Minister Kailesh Jagutpal also announced that Mauritius will be collaborating with the Indian state-owned enterprise HLL Lifecare Ltd, based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

This agreement was finalized during the inauguration of the Agaléga airport by Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“This company provided affordable and high-quality medications,” remarked Jagutpal, who noted that this partnership would help alleviate stock shortages in the island’s hospitals.

“We continually ensuring that essential medications are available,” he added, echoing the sentiments of PMSD leader Xavier-Luc Duval, who had discussed medication availability with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar during his recent visit.

Source: l’Express